10 Nov Felony: Manslaughter
Taking the life of another person is a serious crime, and Arizona laws have harsh charges for those convicted of manslaughter. When convicted of a felony you may have a lot of anxiety and fear regarding what the future might bring. Being charged of a crime and navigating the court system can be a trying time in a person’s life. Coolidge Law is a criminal defense specialist that has been able to navigate the court systems, is knowledgeable on laws and legal jargon, and has years of experience. For assistance in handling your case in Phoenix, Arizona, and surrounding areas, Coolidge Law can help, especially when it comes to the charge of manslaughter.
What is Manslaughter?
Manslaughter is the unintentional unlawful killing of another person. The crime of manslaughter is committed without planning ahead of time, or intent to kill another person before it occurs.
Types of Manslaughter
While manslaughter is a type of homicide, there are classifications that are in this category of crime. These classifications for the crime committed include:
- Involuntary Manslaughter: Occurs following failure to take action to safeguard a life, and acting on an unlawful behavior that risks injury or death through recklessness in a grossly negligent manner.
- Voluntary Manslaughter: Results from a conscious choice to assist in a suicide of another person, from a crime of passion/heat of the moment quarrel, using threat or deadly force, or causing the death of an unborn child through harm to the mother.
The classifications of crimes under manslaughter help determine the penalties or consequences that the individual charged with the crime will face.
Penalties
Manslaughter is a crime that comes with severe punishments, and those range based upon the circumstances surrounding the crime. Manslaughter is a Class 2 felony with automatic prison sentencing. With no prior felony convictions, the least sentencing in mitigated sentence would be two years prison, with up to 12.5 years of prison in the aggravated sentencing standards.
Whatever the circumstances surrounding the crime of manslaughter, Arizona law has harsh punishments. If you are facing a manslaughter charge, contact Coolidge Law today to build a strategic defense regarding your case.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/1/2017) Alisdare Hickson (Flickr)